Haven
by TOSTRwaffles
Summary: Accepting OCs. After a plague decimates the world, survivors band together against wandering gangs, fighting for food, shelter, weapons, and a way out of this hell. Intro for my OC Andy.
1. Chapter 1

**Haven**

**Chapter one**

**Alrighty then! New story time! This one's in an alternate universe than Soldier of the Ruins, just a heads up.**

**Now I will be taking O C submissions, BUT this is a plague situation, so O Cs WILL die.**

**This is going to be a very serious story, not cartoony like standard HTF, so no respawining.**

**For the O Cs, I do have some guide lines.**

**Anonymous Reviews Disabled: ****Please sign in so I have a way to contact you. If you don't have an account, it's very easy to make one and you'll need one if you plan on writing.**

**Name****: no changes, but if I get an O C named Karl and another named Carl, I'm going to ask one of them to come up with a nickname.**

**Age: ****Unlike most stories, this matters. O Cs need to be college age or teacher age, so I may adjust a couple things because of this (make a Vietnam war vet. Older, etc.)**

**Mental Conditions:**** Stuff like PTSD will not function like Flippy's, instead they will act like someone who has PTSD in real life.**

**Sexuality:**** straight, gay, bi?**

**Other than that, just fill out the standard species, color, bio (keep it short! I don't need a life story) misc, relationships (subject to change, I will respect sexuality though) etc.**

**This is set at a fictional college in Washington state btw.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"Here's your room. Your roommate hasn't arrived yet." The black and white cat said. "Here's your key, come talk to me if you have any questions." He said, walking away, leaving Andy outside his room. Andy Gonsalez was a grey civet, 5'8" and 18 years old. "_He didn't even tell me his name."_ He though. Andy sighed and unlocked his door. Inside were two beds with mattresses, a desk and a poster that read "University of Northern Washington Whales."

"_And the football team is the Whales. Who comes up with this stuff?"_ Andy wondered as he set his suitcase down on the mattress that had less stains. He leaned his guitar case against a wall, then took his laptop out and plugged it in.

"_Low battery, just great."_ So far, Andy wasn't having a good day. A four hour car ride followed by the guide who gave him a brief tour, then dumped him outside his room was the main cause. Not to mention that the food he'd gotten at Taco Bell didn't make him feel too good either. He had arrived at this college a couple days before the classes started, so now he was in a building full of teachers, janitors, and other students who got here early.

"_Not much room for my bike."_ Andy set his bike against the foot of his bed. "_I wish I had a car."_

At that moment his alarm went off. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his iPhone and tapped the alarm off. "_Dinner time."_ Andy glanced at his watch, the digital face proclaiming it was 7:00. Andy opened his closet and dropped his backpack inside. The light from the window illuminated something shinning in the corner. Andy reached in a found that it was a steel baseball bat, with the initials C.M. written on the handle. Not sure what to make of this, he set the bat down next to his guitar case, then wheeled his bike outside. "_Pizza or Chinese?" _He briefly wondered, not wanting anymore Mexican food.

…..

Andy rolled his bike back inside while holding a small pizza box in one hand. He checked his watch. 9:34. It had taken a while to find a good place to eat, that wasn't too expensive. Quickly making his bed, Andy flipped off the light.

Outside his window, two raccoons saw his light go out. "Ya see that? Second floor, third from the left window a bit open? Let's wait a bit then go in."

The other nodded. "Where'd ya put the ladder?"

"Those bushes over there. Go dig it up will ya?"

**About 30 minutes later.**

Andy rolled over in his bed after finding the mattress smelled bad. He couldn't sleep, probably from all the sodas he drank when his parents drove him here. He looked over at his window as it was pulled open slightly. Andy reached over and grabbed the bat he found, his tired and caffeine loaded mind not helping him understand what was happening. The window was pulled open even further and a dark shape pulled itself inside and moved towards his laptop. Andy sat up and swung the bat, not putting much force behind it, even though he thought he did. The steel bat connected on the figures leg, not hurting it but certainly startling the would-be thief. The raccoon yelped, then swung himself back out the window and hurried down the ladder as Andy jumped out of bed.

Andy looked out his window as saw two raccoons running away, a ladder held between the two. Not really caring about what had just happened, Andy shut his window and fell into his bed.

**There ya go. Submit those O Cs, review, go read my other story if you haven't already…anything I'm missing?**

**Have a nice day.**


	2. Arrivals

**Haven  
Chapter 2  
Arrivals**

**Chapter 2's here, thanks to all of you who review especially those of you who submitted OCs.  
Now I noticed that a couple of you thought this was a zombie story, but sadly it's not. However, after I get most of the way through Haven, I'll be starting Outbreak (Check my profile) This will be a zombie story requiring OCs. It's also the prequel to Soldier of the Ruins (If you haven't read it yet it's on my profile as well)**

**Now I do have some important messages at the bottom of this chappie which I'd like you to read.**

**One last thing, if any of you have OCs from about (in age) 23-40 or 45-60 I'll take them. I need professors and towns-people.  
_**

As the sun came over the tree line, Andy's IPhone began blaring a warning siren. Muttering a curse, the grey civet rolled over and flicked the alarm off. He lay back in bed as his mind cleared the cobwebs out. He could remember someone climbing through his window and his reaction, but what the alarm meant was still a mystery. Andy picked up his phone and checked his e-mail to pass the time. As he marked the pointless messages for deletion, the alarm's purpose entered his mind. Andy laughed to himself as he remembered he'd set this alarm to wake him up for his job, a morning shift at a local pizzeria. Now that he was at college, he didn't need a job-as long as he watched his spending.  
_That full scholarship certainly helped._ He thought as he pulled a light grey tee-shirt out of his suitcase. Checking his watch, the civet saw that it was 7:00 AM, one hour before the cafeteria opened he recalled. He let out a sigh as he loaded the Pandora radio app on his IPhone and curled up for a nap.

…

Roughly ten minutes before 7:00, Andy swung his door open and started down the hallway clad in a light grey tee, jeans, a green wool hat and a black fleece jacket. The northern location of the state keeping it chilly all year round, making a light jacket a necessary item even during the summer. As he walked down to the cafeteria, Andy saw a light green cat carrying her belongings as the same cat from yesterday showed her to her room. As he passed by, the civet picked up on a slight British accent he must have missed the previous day. Upon reaching the cafeteria on the ground floor, Andy immediately grabbed a tray after he smelled bacon. While he waited in line, he took a moment to take a look around. Few people had either shown up a week early, or the guide's tour had left many unknown about the cafeteria's location. Not wanting to look a gift-horse in the mouth, Andy ignored his good fortune in the short line- the sooner he'd get his bacon the better. As he looked out at the other people in the cafeteria, his eyes fell on a greenish raccoon. The raccoon glanced up and saw Andy looking at him, then grabbed his tray and hurried out of the cafeteria. Andy turned around and received his bacon, a waffle and eggs coming with it. Andy began to think about the raccoon's behavior when he remembered something from last night. The person who had come in the window had a bushy tail and dark fur, much like a raccoon.

He set his tray down on a table then hurried off after the raccoon. Andy turned the corner just in time to see the raccoon disappear down the end of the hallway. Breaking into a jog, Andy dashed down the long hallway. Taking the corner without losing much speed, Andy skidded to a stop. In front of him was a hallway longer than the one he just sprinted down, but the raccoon was nowhere to be seen. Andy glanced at the door next to him. _466, dormitories? Damnit he's in one off these rooms._ Deciding his search was now fruitless, the civet turned around and returned to the cafeteria. Upon arrival he noticed one important thing: his bacon was gone. _Goddamnit..._

__The raccoon, Lifty, had slammed his door shut just before his pursuer had rounded the corner, and he hoped, hadn't heard the door shut. "What's the rush?" His twin, Shifty asked. The two raccoons were twins, Shifty having been born slightly before the other. "No more stealing, that guy we tried to rob yesterday chased me down here." Shifty muttered a curse. "You can still deny it right?"  
"Yeah, but that's not my point. If I'm caught stealing I could lose my scholarship." The twins hadn't been born into a particularly good family, their mother having died years earlier and their father an alcoholic. Since their dad had been fired from his job at the Starbucks, the twins had had to steal for a living. Food, clothes, everything they needed while their dad drowned his sadness at his wife's death in booze. Lifty had always been smart, his good grades allowing him a scholarship at the University he was at now. Shifty had been more focused on theft, but even he acknowledged the fact that if they got caught or injured they could easily become no better than a hobo living in a box. "Right, well I still need money." Shifty put in.  
"Steal off campus then, but don't get caught."  
"Yeah, no problem I don't need to be micromanaged though."

Outside his room, Andy saw a blue dog, _A Labrador maybe?_ He wondered as the same cat with the goggles and British accent handed him a key. The cat turned around and spotted Andy, then said something to the dog. The dog nodded, then waved at Andy before dragging his bags inside. The cat stopped Andy as he passed.  
"Your roommate's here." The cat said, scratching at his mohawk.  
"What's his name?"  
"Ah yes" The cat consulted the clipboard. "His name is Fionn McRon…might be Irish"  
Andy nodded thanks and headed into his room. Inside Fionn had moved Andy's bike and put a mini-fridge in its place. Fionn looked up as Andy entered. "So I guess you're my roommate."  
"Yeah, so…you need any help un-packing Fio-" The dog cut him off sharply. "Yup, you know how to set up an Xbox right? And please, just Fido-_never_ call me that." 

…

"Ah! Got my attack heli" Andy said.  
"Almost to the…damnit! One short of dogs!" Andy glanced over at his roommate as they played Blackops. Having nothing else to do and a whole day of boredom ahead otherwise, Andy had imported his profile and they now sat on their beds playing Call of Duty. Due to neither of them having a TV, they had hooked the Xbox up to both of their laptops, each playing on their own screen.  
"Bit ironic right? Gettin' dogs?" Fido grunted. "A little. They are feral but it _is _still a bit odd." The dog said, referring to the 'dumb' or feral animals that lacked the ability to speak or gain a more evolved character. Andy rolled over as the game ended.  
"Any other games? Blackops just isn't as fun as Modern Warfare was."  
"A few others, you did go 16 and three there."  
"Yeah but it's just not the same." Andy pulled their group out of the multiplayer menu while Fido searched through his bag.  
"I've got Left 4 Dead, Reach-"  
"Halo?"  
"Yup. Fable 3, GRAW2, lots of single-players…that's all the two-players I've got."  
"Reach then?"  
**  
Several hundred dead aliens later…  
**"You know anyone else here?" asked Andy as he picked up a sniper kill.  
"Green rabbit, Angus or something, hang on I'm getting the tank."  
"Isn't that a type of beef?"  
"I want me some burgers now… but he's Irish and has a cousin comin' here too-goddamn suicide grunts!"  
"Any idea where he is? I know a pizza and burger place in the city."  
"Gave me a room number, up for a look?"

"So this is it?" The two stood in front of a white door with the number 436 painted on in black letters.  
"I think. You wanna knock?" Said Fido.  
"Hey! I don't even know the guy. What would you do if a random guy came up to your door lookin' like a hobo?" Fido grinned at Andy's comment as he rapped on the door. A muffled "Hold on" was heard from inside before the door was opened moments later. A green rabbit poked his head out and looked at the two.  
"What the 'ell do ya want? No offense Fido." Fido shrugged at this. "Wonderin' if you wanna go get pizza or somethin' off-campus. Asides from the bacon, the food they've got here is crap."  
"I'm up for it. Who's the raccoon?" The rabbit, Angus said.  
"Civet actually, I'm Andy, he's my roommate." Andy said, gesturing at Fido as he introduced himself. Angus nodded. "Alright, you mind if I get Fuzzles?"  
"Fuzzles?"Andy asked.  
"My cousin, yellow rabbit, yea' high." He held a finger up slightly below his eye-line. "Can't hold down his rum…you get the idea right?" Andy nodded at this, abet slightly confused. "Is his room nearby?"  
"Far end of the complex, just a short run."  
"That's not really a short run…" Andy trailed off before following the two down the hallway, recalling a facility diagram that had been included with the various student handouts he'd been given.

By the time Andy caught up with Angus, a yellow rabbit had entered the hallway as well. The rabbit "Fuzzles" Angus had called him, closed his door behind him and pulled on a jacket.  
"Glad to see you made it." Angus remarked as Andy approached. "You sure you're not Irish?"  
"I thought you were Scottish…"  
"I am, but when I say Scottish, people think I wear kilts and play bagpipes."  
"Don't the Irish play bag-" Andy began.  
"Yeah, so when I say I'm Irish people think I'm just some arse who plays the 'pipes to piss off his neighbors."  
"…"

…

By now the group of four had left the University grounds and began the walk to the city. Using the GPS on Andy's IPhone as a guide, they followed it into one of the seedier parts of town.  
"What the hell were you lookin' for when you found this place?" This from Angus.  
"I was wandering and passed through here, I didn't notice it was this bad." Andy replied stuffing his IPhone into a pocket.  
"You worried about getting' mugged?" Fido asked. Andy nodded as they crossed over the street.  
"Can't really be too careful, besides, I'd hate to lose this even if it is a first generation one."  
"Never carried too much about electronics myself," remarked Angus. "Fuzzles here clutches his Ipod like it's a winning lottery ticket."  
Fuzzles, his actual name being Cuddles, gave his brother a light shove. "You know how much I love my music."  
"Yeah, too bad it's not a winning ticket!" Angus joked. "Looks like some people on the corner ahead, they see us too." Up ahead there were was a small group clustered on the corner. As Andy approached he could see what they wanted.  
"Looks like some hookers, this could be awkward." The civet muttered before they came into earshot.  
One of the prostitutes moved forward, this one a cat, trying to look as sexy as possible. Her attempts fell short, seeing as she was under five feet and looked like someone had tried acupuncture on her while drunk. Rapping her arm around Andy's shoulders, or trying to, she whispered to him: "Looking for a good time?" Unsure of what to do, Andy was rescued by Angus. The green rabbit slipped the hooker's arm off Andy and said to her: "Ma'am, he has standards." As the hooker fell away, clearly insulted (Even if it was true) Cuddles pushed Andy onwards and the group hurried off.  
Before they were even off the block Angus burst out laughing.  
"You saw the look on her face right? Bet no one's ever called her that before." Cuddles joined in on the laughter, "Best way of turning a hooker off I ever saw."  
Andy bit his lip at this. "I feel kinda bad about it, I mean, I've got standards and woulda said no anyway, but I still feel bad."  
"I know what ya mean. It's sad to see that when she wasn't too bad looking." Fido put in. "Asides from the piercings and stuff, she could easily find a job as a waitress or somethin' y'know?"  
"Yeah…how far to the pizza place Andy?" Angus cut in. The civet fished out his IPhone and checked the map.  
"Just a couple more block."

"You said a coupla' blocks." Angus muttered.  
"No point complaining now that we're here." Andy said as he pushed the door open. Inside the _Pizza Luogo di Fantasia_, the same pizza place Andy had found the day before, the interior was slightly run down, with some of the green red and white stripped wallpaper peeling off. Behind a handful of soda machines was a staircase leading to the second floor, with a large Italian flag hanging off the top railing. Despite the shabby interior, the food was quite good. Finishing off the first pizza, this one pepperoni, the four soon ordered a second.  
"Doesn't compare to real food, but not bad." Angus remarked.  
"Potatoes cabbage and beef is one hell of a lot harder to get though", added Cuddles. "Pizza's fine by me." Angus snorted at this. "No wonder I was always tougher than ya."  
"Sitting in the bushes and throwing water balloons at me doesn't count!" The Scottish rabbit's cousin countered.  
"I can still out run ya. Out drink ya too." Angus laughed. "I remember when I snatched that bottle of beer at 16. You grabbed the thing, chugged it then puked it right back up!"  
"Gettin' late…" Andy warned. Angus checked his watch and boxed the pizza up. Cuddles waved over the waiter and they all pitched in to cover the meal before starting the long walk back to the University.

_  
**Angus's story about stealing the beer is fictional and is by no means based on fact. Yay for that disclaimer.  
Now there is not going to be an epilogue for Soldier of the Ruins for those of you who have read it, but I may write a spin-off. That being said, if you see a story by me pop up that wasn't in the poll I had (choice are still listed on my profile even though the poll is over) that's probably it.  
**_**Pizza Luogo di Fantasia**_** is actually Italian for Fancy Pizza Place if you were wondering. Thank you Google translate.**

**I feel like I've been sounding like my whole focus is on getting reviews rather than writing a story, so I wasn't going to put a little review for cake message here, but I came up with one relating to Portal2 which I'm very excited about so if you don't mind…  
There is delicious cake waiting for you if you click that wonderful button below! …now in Not a Lie flavor…**


	3. Far North

**Haven  
Chapter Three  
Far North**

**ENOUGH WITH THE COLLEGE OC PEOPLES. I didn't think I'd have to say this but I think I have too much fodder now. Therefore, I will not be accepting anymore College OCs but don't worry if you submitted yours in a chapter 1 or 2 review. Speaking of which, I still need other types of OCs. Teachers, townspeople, etc. in general anyone from 25ish-45ish. I forgot to mention/do this earlier but I will be sending out some PMs if I needed to edit your OC in anyway. (Mainly to make sure you're okay with it)  
I'm not a supporter of communism by the way.  
ONWARDS TO THE STORY (and possibly bacon)**

* * *

It was cold. But wasn't it always? Vasili pondered. Living alone in northern Siberia hunting and trapping for furs wasn't much of and income. But better than being trapped up in an apartment as Russia fell apart around him the grizzled hunter had reasoned, what was it now? 20 years ago?

This lone wolf had left his home in an eastern city as the Soviet Union fell, not due to the west but from its own inner problems. The wolf, Vasili Ivanovich Koslov, was not in agreement with all the ideas of communism. But it had kept down the main thing that prompted his departure from society: organized crime. As the Kremlin had faltered, organizations like the Русская мафия, or the Russian Mafia had grown in power. Dealing in arms and human trafficking as well as fraud and more, the Комитет государственной безопасности , the Committee of State Security and Soviet equivalent to the CIA, commonly known as the KGB, had been helpless to stop as crime rates rose. All those 20 years past, Vasili had left his home city not wanting to watch as his home was saddled with crime, and with capitalism soon to come, he knew it would bring with it all the problems of the western word. Although a younger Vasili would have had much fun with the shameless girls working the corner that every western town was said to have, Vasili's uncle had made a solid point.

His uncle was friends with many of these women, but around his 40th year of life he began crying out in great agony while relieving himself. Death had followed only six short years after his urination problems.

The hunter reflected on his past life as he warmed his hands. Sitting upon a log by his small fireplace, Vasili did miss his home, for his one-room shack was a horrible replacement. Felled logs built the four walls and the slanted roof over his head. Cement filled the gaps between timbers as the traditional mud caulk had to be mended each year and had done little to keep out wind and snow. Keeping out the cold would have been a miracle, but that was like getting ice in the hottest parts of the Middle East. A table and cot completed the wolf's furniture collection. Under the table was a trap door to the cellar, where Vasili storied his food and bundles of furs. Currently Vasili hung his skins on the walls, seeing as he didn't have enough for a decently sized bundle. With that though in mind, the hunter let out a loud sigh as he collected his grandfather's Mosin-Nagant rifle. This rifle was almost 80 years old but still fired like it had when his grandfather had defended the Motherland from the fascists in the 40's, a testament to the durability of Russian weapons. The rifle held a five-shot clip containing the standard Russian 7.62x54mm bullet, and the wooden stock fit another stereotype.

Vasili pocketing two more clips for the Mosin and tucked a TT-33, also his grandfather's, into his belt. The pistol also fired the 7.62 round, but lacked the power of the Mosin. The pistol was semi-automatic, and was Vasili's best weapon against a charging bear. A second clip for the TT-33 when it to a separate pocket as the Russian latched his wooden door behind him and set off into the forest. Snow blanketed the landscape and ice clogged the river, which Vasili used to transport his skins down-stream for sail at a trading post. Vasili continued into the forest until he had lost sight of his cabin. Keeping the river to his right the hunter feared that losing sight of this landmark would leave him lost in the cold. The hunter stopped suddenly and listened. He could hear something moving in the forest, possible a deer being chased by feral wolves. Despite the visual similarities, Vasili had no qualms about taking a feral wolf's life. Vasili sighted down his rifle and scanned the underbrush as the footsteps and crunch of breaking ice grew closer.

_Two, no, one animal_. Vasili's seasoned ears told him. _Then what could it be?_ He wondered. _Why would an animal run through the woods in such haste?_ The wolf's thoughts were interrupted as a great dark mass crashed through a line of brush and into view. Vasili froze as his eyes saw the dark fur and great muscles of the feral bear that now rushed at him_. A mother protecting her young. _Vasili decided as his first shot took the bear in its shoulder. The bear never slowed while Vasili worked the bolt on the Mosin, trying to get a second shot off. His survival instincts prevailed and he turned and ran with a second round chambered. Vasili knew he couldn't out run the bear and he knew it was only a matter of time before the bear's great claws took his life. Hurtling up the branches of a tree, the Russian hope he was safe, but they were crushed as the bear slowly rose to an intimidating eight feet and shook the tree with a roar of rage and pain. Vasili didn't know how many bullets he put into the bear, only that his Mosin stopped recoiling. Drawing his side arm one-handed, he emptied the clip into the bear. Vasili held onto his branch for dear life as the tree shook, the bear's eyes full of hatred and madness.

A second clip followed shortly and Vasili saw the bear's snout erupt in blood and bits of bone. The bear toppled backwards and lay on the ground twitching and moaning, its once great coat now bloodied and ragged. Vasili had heard tails of such madness from native tribes who also hunted and trapped. They said that some animals were possessed by demons and that upon death the evil spirit would fly to the nearest creature and steal its body. Vasili held his breathe and made the sign of the cross in an attempt to ward off this evil, for he was sure a malevolent spirit had possessed the bear. The hunter dropped from the tree and ran from the dying bear, hoping the evil spirit had not already escaped its host.

* * *

**I know it was kind of a short chapter but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting. No matter what it may seem this chappie does actually tie into the plot of Haven, no spoilers though.**

**I don't think I made myself clear last chapter on reviews, mainly because I submitted an earlier save. I updated though, and fixed the mistakes but most of you had already read and reviewed by that point. **

**With the reviews, I feel like if I got no reviews, but say…3000 visitors to the story I would still be happy. I just like knowing people are reading my work.**

**And please, never choke a waffle, they turn blue when choked. And no one wants that. I didn't get choked btw.**


	4. Papercut

**Haven  
Chapter Four  
Papercut**

**Well damn. I've been here for over a year, feeding you guys zombies and now biohazards. Now eat your food! Grow up big and strong (and mentally insane) like Bill here!  
What? Bill scares you? Bullshit! I would trust Bill to hold a shotgun behind me! Right Bill? Bill?  
Oh shit.**

**Sorry for the amount of time it took to post this (dodging shotgun blasts and all), good news is I created a deviantART account, so if I'm not updating I'll still have a way put some stuff up. Anyway, FF.N rules prevent me from putting a link but you can search for TOSTRwaffles (.com for those who like copy/pasting) There's also a link on my profile.  
And put that damn thing down Bill! You'll put out more than someone's eye with that thing!**

**That's it for now, but StarMoonRose, Please enable private messages! I can't take your OC without a way to contact you.**

* * *

**6:43 AM****  
****Northern Washington**  
"Hey!" Angus yelled pounding on the door to Andy's room. "Open up!"  
A few minutes later a bedraggled Andy opened the door, still wearing his clothes from yesterday with his brown hair unkempt and the beginnings of a beard on his face.  
"What the hell could you want at six?" he asked, scratching the back of his head as Angus entered the room followed by a bald eagle.  
"Who's this?" Asked Andy, gesturing at the eagle.  
" Apollo, he's my roommate and he's Scottish!" Angus replied. "Anyway, classes start tomorrow so I figur'd we do something fun before then."  
"That being…?"  
Apollo took over here. "We found this rock climbin' place in town and-"  
From his bed Fido yawned loudly, interrupting Apollo. "Anyway," Apollo continued, "the guy who owns it built it to challenge himself so it shouldn't be shitty like those shitty plastic climbing walls."  
"That's good, how much's it cost?  
"What? Watching your wallet now?" Angus joked.  
"I don't wanna have to get a job", countered a grinning Andy.  
"Well it's 30 bucks to get in which includes the gear. You in?"  
"Sure, why not?"  
"Right, well we're off to get Fuzzles." Angus said as he as Apollo exited the room.  
"I'll be in the cafeteria at seven." Andy called after them.

…

**Earlier that morning.****  
****Manzhouli, China****  
**  
His tattered window shades doing nothing to stop the light, Kee Mun Ki rolled out of his cot in his small, one room apartment. Communism hadn't been kind to China, with many of the jobs in cities that lacked the resources to play host to everyone who came for work. Mun Ki had been fortunate then, that he was a police officer. He got to carry a gun, a 7.62mm Type 54-a Chinese copy of the Russian TT-33 pistol, he got a car to drive while on duty, and the pay was decent. Rolling out of bed, Mun Ki headed to his sink where he readied to brush his teeth. Something seemed different though, as if his supplies had been moved during the night. _A neighbor looking for cash or my gun._ Mun Ki finally decided. He'd have to have a third lock installed on his door, the second time he'd felt like someone had entered his room in the past few days, hence the second lock. Grabbing a handful of cash to buy lunch, Mun Ki hurried out the door and off to work.

…

"Damn Andy, the one thing you've always got time for is bacon." Cuddles said as he sat down at the table Andy was eating at. Apollo and Angus had detoured off to get their breakfasts.  
"Pity I don't have more time to update, but bacon is very important to me."  
Cuddles nodded at this. "Yeah, I never seem to get enough time for it, the bacon that is."  
Apollo had finished up at the food line and now joined them.  
"What's holdin' Angus up?" Cuddles asked him.  
"The waffle machine they have back in the kitchen," Apollo jerked his head at food line. "Kitchen staff said It's slowing down and now it's taking a long time to make new ones."  
"Waffles right?" Asked Andy. "It sounds like we're talking about something else."  
"I think we're still talking about waffles," Said Apollo. "Here's comes Angus."  
"Effin' waffles," Angus said sitting down. "Why the 'elled it take so long to make some waffles?"  
"They're still good waffles right?" This from Andy. Angus laughed as he replied "I don't wanna give waffles a bloated ego about 'imself."  
"So when're we gonna get outta here?" Apollo asked.  
"Soon as waffles here gets eaten." Said Angus. "You goin' somewhere Andy?" He asked as Andy stood up.  
"Got some stuff in my room I wanna bring, I'll be waitin' outside when you guys finish."  
Starting towards the staircase Andy pulled out his IPhone and checked his battery. _Almost full, good__._  
After unlocking his door, Andy wheeled his bike out and coasted down the hall to the staircase with an empty backpack he had also picked up in tow.

Shortly after Andy had sat down on a bench outside Angus and the other emerged from the building and started off on the road to town. Not wanting to be left behind, Andy swung himself up in his bike and pedaled after them.

…

Entering the police station, Mun Ki passed the receptionist and Nyuk Tsin - a beautiful woman whose family had her selling dishes of chop suey and chow mein for the police officers. Meeting up with Char Chun Fat, his friend who shared the patrol car with him, Mun Ki greeted the jolly panda, who was more than a decade older than him and overweight, then started on the paperwork on his desk. Mun Ki fished inside his desk for a pen and muttered a curse when he couldn't find one. "Is Janik stealing supplies again?" He asked Chun Fat.  
"Janik? He got fired a few months back for that, where have you been?"  
"Really? I thought I saw him come in this morning, I must be seeing things."  
"Don't start down that path," Chun Fat cautioned. "The sergeant needs you to shoot, maybe Nyuk Tsin is putting something in the chop suey for you." He grinned, knowing Mun Ki's thoughts on her. The sergeant on the other hand, relied on Mun Ki after he proved himself with a handgun after a brief firefight with members of the Russian Mafia who had tried to cross the border, which was only five miles away. The firefight had left four officers injured and two dead, with three of the Mafia down, mainly from Mun Ki's accuracy.  
"So when I finish this report on that drug dealer we can start out in the patrol car." Mun Ki nodded and continued with his paper work.

…

Upon their arrival, Andy's eyes fell on an unusually tall warehouse with a large picture of a bear climbing a rock face painted on the front wall. This turned out to be the building they were looking for and the group moved up to the small reception desk inside. Despite outward appearances, the inside looked like a corporate office, but that was shattered by large glass windows separating them from the climbing area. Pillars of a tan plastic stood roughly three stories, about five of these pillars stood and against the far wall was a pile of similar design, but these only a story at their highest. These rocks stood about like the aftermath of a rockslide, that the receptionist said was for bouldering. They then proceeded to the locker room where they were encouraged to empty their pockets and discard any loose clothing. Upon exiting the locker room, they met the belayers who would be working with them. The belayers introduced themselves as Scott and William, and on Fido's asking explained their roll. "We're the guys holding the ropes so when you lose your grip, you aren't falling." Stopping at a locker at the end of the hallway, Scott halted the group.  
"Climbing belts are here." He said passing them out. "Pull the straps around your waste and legs to tighten them. Helmets are in that bin. Winters'll pass them out."  
"I thought you said your name was William." Angus pointed out.  
"Long story, but basically my parents decided it'd be fun to make my initials WWW, so I'm William Webster Winters. Since they worked with computers I figured they wanted me to add a dot then somethin' like Google after that. Calling me William or Winters is fine with me."  
"A few basic rules now," Scott said as they continued to the climbing area. "Pretty basic rules for the most part, since this is officially a family place try not to cuss, don't discourage other climbers, don't try to climb the rope, climb the wall. Two reasons for that, even though the rope can hold over seven thousand pounds it's not good for it and these ropes aren't cheap. Other thing is there's only one strap goin' between your legs an' being held up by it is not comfortable, believe me."  
"Any questions?" Winters asked.  
"Yeah, the receptionist said those rocks," Cuddles gestured at the pile of rocking on the far wall. "Was for bouldering. What's bouldering?"  
"It's when you don't have a harness and therefore have no need for a belayer. So while we've got two of you climbing the rest can head over there while you wait."

...

Behind the police station, Chun Fat slid his bulk into the passenger seat of the battered BYD F3 patrol car. Similar to the Honda Accord in America, The F3 was a midsized sedan this one painted in the colors of the Manzouli Police Department. As Mun Ki began settling in his seat he felt an urge to check the trunk. He went to the back, opened the trunk and looked around inside.  
Nothing.  
"What was that about?" Chun Fat asked as Mun Ki sat back down.  
"Bad feeling I guess." He replied as he pulled out onto the road. The two sat in silence until they were a ways off from the station. Finally Chun Fat broke the silence.  
"You've been acting a bit jumpy today and I know you don't drink coffee." He pointed out.  
Mun Ki laughed at this. "You'd call me paranoid if I told you what's been happening.  
"Well I've met some pretty odd people," Chun Fat snorted at this. "Some nut who referred to himself as a waffle just last week."  
"What the hell is that?" Laughed Mun Ki.  
"Some breakfast item, damn Americans and their odd foods. Donuts are good though, gave me this lump here." Char Fat said, patting his bulging waistline. "But in all honesty, why should I call you paranoid?"  
Mun Ki sighed and shook his head. "I'm thinking of getting a third lock on my door." Char Fat sat upright at this.  
"A third?"  
"Yeah, I don't feel safe anymore, like people are watching me."  
"So you are paranoid?"  
"Naw, I mean, I've got a legitimate concern." Mun Ki gestured at a passing car. "Like that car there. Why is a Russian car on the road? I feel like the Mafia wants revenge on me." He muttered, not noticing the car he gestured at was of Chinese build.  
"What do you mean?" Chun Fat questioned.  
"Never mind, forget I even brought it up." Mun Ki replied, suddenly angry at his closest friend.  
_This isn't right! _Part of Mun Ki cried in his mind.  
_Of course it is! That panda could have been bought off by __them!_ A second part argued back. _You've got a gun on your belt! Finish him before he kills you!__  
__ No! He's my friend, he'd never try to kill me.__  
__ Dude, what's happening here?" _A third voice asked.  
_Shut the fuck up! _The second voice screamed._  
__ But I just w__anted to-__  
__No! Get the hell out of here!__  
__No need to be a jerk to him!__  
_ "Hey, Mun Ki, you still there?"  
Mun Ki shook his head a bit. "What?" Char Fat was looking at him oddly. "You okay? You just started muttering something there."  
"I did? I must be really tired." Mun Ki said, settling down into his seat.

...

"So you're going up first?" Scott asked.  
"I suppose." Andy replied. Scott nodded. "Looks like Winters is setting up your buddy there, what's his name…"  
"Apollo?"  
"Yeah, that was it," Scott said tying a rope into his harness. "Alright, you're set up, ya wanna wait for Apollo and race?"  
"Sure, you got any advice?"  
"Depends, you ever climbed before?"  
"A few times, on real rock though, not this plastic stuff." Scott nodded. "This stuff ain't as smooth as rock, so try not ta' slide. Also, on those slanted parts there" He pointed up the rock face where the wall bent back, which would force a climber to go slightly upside-down. "Watch out for those. Some of the handholds rotate a bit so hold on tight. Fallin's not bad but the only thing holding you up it the harness."  
Andy winced a bit at this. "And at the top? Just repel down?"  
"Yeah, you know the deal right? Swing out, hit the wall with your feet, repeat 'till you're down." Scott spoke to Winters now.  
"He ready over there?" Winters nodded.  
"They gonna race?"  
"I'm up for it." This from Andy. Apollo agreed and the two started on the wall. Andy started faster, gaining an early lead. Moving from ledge to ledge, Andy swung himself up to a new foot hold only to find himself hanging by his fingertips as he lost his footing. Swinging away to the side, Andy came close to where another group was climbing before kicking off the wall and returning to his original area, significantly lower.  
"You okay?" Scott called up.  
"I'm fine." Andy called back.

By now Apollo had taken the lead and Andy scrambled after him. Planting his feet on a ledge, Andy Flung himself up, catching a single handhold. He swung his feet in feeling for purchase, his feet slipping on the wall. Continuing past Apollo, Andy continued scaling the wall, easily scrabbling his way up the rough face. Towards the top, the handholds lessened and Andy was forced to slow down. Glancing below him, his vision swam as he saw the ground below him.  
"I hate heights." He muttered as the wall bent backwards.  
Grabbing the edge where the wall returned to its vertical angle, Andy swung himself out, losing his footing in the process with only his hands keeping him from a second fall. Clenching one hand around the lip, he swung his left hand up for another hold before repeating with his right.

Slowly and painstakingly he pulled himself up until his feet had taken the place of his hands and swung himself up on top of the pillar. At the center a metal beam held the climbing tower to the warehouse roof. From above, Andy could see as Angus and the others bouldered below him. Moments later Apollo joined him  
"Damn nice view eh? Pity it's not outside." Apollo said.  
"Yup. Ready to head down?"  
"Let's not race this time." Apollo called as he followed Andy down.  
"Now you see comrades." Andy began in a fake Russian accent. "Deese is express elevator."  
"Someone get me an AUG and a mountain base and I'm happy." Apollo muttered as he lowered himself down.

At the bottom, Angus and Cuddles switched out for Andy and Apollo and the later headed over for bouldering.

* * *

**1:34 PM****  
****Manzouli, China****  
****Northern outskirts of the city**  
Outside the Chinese equivalent to McDonalds, Mun Ki and Chun Fat sat in their patrol car eating lunch.  
"Hah." Chun Fat cried. "I asked for two eggrolls and that man in there gave me three!"  
"Maybe he wanted to charge you for it." Mun Ki muttered. He didn't trust his food to be safe; maybe the Mafia hired someone to poison it?  
_That meat there looks odd, don't eat it.__ Besides it's easier to poison flesh. __  
__I dunno man, that meat looks fin-_ Voice Three began._  
__Why are you still here! Get out! _Voice Two yelled._  
__Aw c'mon, that's not cool man.__  
__Why are you two fighting? We don't even know what the meat is._ Mun Ki's sanest voice said.  
"You're not eating the lamb?" Char Fat questioned, noticing the small pile of uneaten lamb Mun Ki had pushed to the side.  
"Lamb? How can you tell?"  
"Tastes like it. Or maybe some type of fowl. Either way it's good. You gonna eat it?" Mun Ki shook his head and let Char Fat scoop up the lamb.  
_Good. Now the fat man will die._ Voice Two hissed_  
__But it's not poisoned._ Voice One argued.  
_Bullshit. When the fat man dies I'll be the one laughing._  
_Awww c'mon man, the fat man's our frien-_ The third voice began.  
_No! He works for the Mafia, next time we're alone with him he'll put a bullet in our back.__  
__Char Fat wouldn't do that!__  
__Really? Would you bet your life on it? Look, he's eating the lamb now!__  
_Mun Ki watched with apprehension as his friend finished off the lamb.  
_See? He's not dead, it wasn't poisoned.__  
__It's slow acting. Mark my words, by the end of the hour he will be dead._

"Excuse me, are you busy at the moment?" A man asked from Char Fat's side of the car.  
Char Fat shook his head. "What do you need?"  
"I think I'm lost. Could you point me in the direction of Manzouli?"  
"Certainly, it's just down the road..."  
From inside the car, Mun Ki sat frozen with shock as a flickering red image of a gun appeared on his vision and slowly raised itself to the back of Char Fat's head.  
_Nononononononononowhat's happening? Why am I seeing things?_ He screamed inside his head.  
_The fat man must die!_ His mind screamed back._ Get your gun and shoot him! You can get out of here before anyone knows what happened.__  
__He's my friend!__  
__He works for the Mafia, if we don't kill him he'll kill us. _A chorus of voices cried.  
The red gun flickered violently and faded from Mun Ki's vision as the radio crackled to life.  
"…home to all available units. Suspect in a silver sedan seen fleeing a stabbing spree at an apartment complex headed north. Suspect is armed and extremely dangerous. Permission is given to shoot on sight."  
"Shit." Char Fat muttered "Gotta go." He called to the lost man as Mun Ki pulled the patrol car out onto the road.  
"We're on the road to the border." Char Fat yelled to Mun Ki. "If he's trying to cross the border he'll have to come this way. Sirens blazing the two headed back to the city. After ten minutes had passed Char Fat pointed ahead.  
"There!" Char Fat pointed to a silver sedan traveling north unusually fast. "That's gotta be him. The sedan sped past the patrol car as Mun Ki pulled a U-turn and continued the chase.  
"He's in the middle of the road!" Char Fat called as cars coming in the opposite direction swerved around the suspect's vehicle.  
"We're gaining! Keep going." Char Fat yelled as the suspect's car swerved violently to avoid a car coming in the other direction. The suspect's car veered out of control and spun around, rolling twice before coming to a stop upside down along the side of the road.  
"Stop the car!" Mun Ki slammed on the brakes and brought the car to a stop facing the driver's side door of the suspect's car. Char Fat heaved his bulk out of his seat with his pistol drawn followed seconds later by Mun Ki.  
"Police! Get out of the car with your hands above your head!" The later shouted.  
"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" the man called climbing out of his car with a line of blood trailing down his forehead.  
_It's your chance! Kill them both and run!__  
_Mun Ki obeyed the voice and put three rapid shots into the suspect.  
"What the fuck Mun Ki?" Char Fat screamed spinning around.  
Time seemed to slow down for Mun Ki. _DO IT! _The voices hissed at him. _KILL THE FAT MAN_  
Mun Ki willed his body not to as the urge to shoot overcame him. He clenched his hands around the gun, willing his finger not to do what the voices told him and felt it fly back in his hands. Without meaning to, he had just shot Char Fat.  
Char Fat's abdomen exploded in a cloud of blood and the panda's hands flew to his side as he fell to the ground. Mun Ki saw not shock or fear in his friend's eyes but something else equally disturbing.  
Without a second look Mun Ki fled into the woods bordering the highway, pistol clutched to his chest as the voices screamed for him to shoot the fat man again and again.

_****_**Enjoy your 3,558**** words?****  
****Now go off an****d violently headbang to ****country****, punch your way through a wall or burn down someone's house WITH THE LEMONS****  
****THAT'S RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN WITH THE LEMO-****  
****404 ERROR-**_**INCENDIARY LEMONS NOT FOUND**__**  
**_**Damn it Bill, what the hell did you do? I know**** I had those lemons somewhere…**


End file.
